1. Field of the Invention
My invention relates to a stretching machine that effectively and efficiently stretches the leg and back muscles. More particularly, this invention provides a seat having a pivotally mounted backrest and a pair of leg platforms pivotally mounted to the seat.
2. Description of the Related Art
In several sports activities, especially the martial arts, it is important to be able to perform kicks and other maneuvers which require extreme movement of various muscle groups. It is incumbent upon participants in these sports to adequately stretch muscle groups such as the hamstrings, quadriceps, adductors, abductors, groin, hip, gluteal and lower and lumbar regions in the back.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,456,247 and 4,647,040 disclose a leg stretching apparatus in which a person sits in a seat and places his legs on two separate platforms. The person's legs are spread through the action of a crank and crank assembly. The seat assembly is comprised of two generally planar portions. The planar portions have wooden dowels which protrude from their lower end and which engage holes in the base assembly of the seat. It is said that this controls both the position and tilt of the seat to suit the person's need.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,277,062; 4,844,453 and 4,877,239 also disclose leg stretching machines.
In addition, a leg stretching machine sold under the trade name ULTRASTRETCH by Ultrastretch of Portland, Oregon shows a leg stretching machine with a steering wheel device that operates to spread the legs of a person who is sitting on the seat thereof. A spring knob is provided to allow the backrest of the seat to pivot into five different positions.
Despite these leg stretching machines, there remains a need for a machine that not only stretches the leg muscles but which also, at the same time, stretches the muscles of the lower back. This machine would not only stretch these muscles but would also provide a synergistic effect to stretch the hamstring and groin muscles further than would be possible than with machines concentrating on one muscle group or the other.